Raissa Maureen TCHOUNJA KAMGANG1,2,3* , Eveline DONGHO Epse NGOUADJEU4,5 , Anastase DZUDIE TAMDJA1,2,3 , LionelNana Keptukoua6,7 , CorrineSIMO1,3 , Calypse NGWASIRI1,3 , SamuelKINGUE8,9
1Faculty of Health Sciences-University of Buea ;2Hopital Laquintinie de Douala ;3Clinical Research Education Networking and Consultancy (CRENC), Douala ; 4Hopital General de Douala ; 5Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala ; 6Clinique Coeur et Vie, Douala ; 7Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Universite des montagnes, Bangangte,Cameroun ; 8Hopital General Yaounde ; 9Faculte de Medecine et des sciences biomedicales- Universite de Yaounde I.
CaHReF 2018, Yaoundé Congres hall, 08 – 11 January 2019 , OERF017
Background: Heart failure (HF) is a frequent cause of hospitalisation in cardiology units. Anaemia is a common comorbidity in heart failure patients. Prevalence of anaemia in heart failure patients varies widely. However, data regarding this is scarce in our setting.
Objectif: Determine the prevalence of anaemia in HF patients and evaluate the characteristics of HF patients with reduced ejection fraction associated with moderate to severe anaemia
Methodology:A hospital-based, cross-sectional study was carried out from 08th January 2018 to 6th April 2018 in 04 hospitals in Douala. Consenting patients ≥ 21 years admitted with heart failure were included. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin (Hb) level <13 g/dl in men and <12 g/dl in women. Mild anaemia Hb 11.0 g/dl - 12.9 g/dl (men) / 11.9 g/dl (women); moderate anaemia Hb 8.0 - 10.9 g/dl in both sexes and severe anaemia Hb <8 g/dl. Left ventricular ejection fraction <40% was considered as reduced. Univariable analyses evaluated the association with statistical significance set at p <0.05.
Results: In total 106 patients; 56 men (52.83%) and 50 women (47.17%) were recruited, the mean age was 63.84 ±16.20 years. The mean haemoglobin was 11.40±2.26 g/dl and the prevalence of anaemia was 71%. Moderate to severe anaemia was observed in 35.9 % of the total population. Half of the population had reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Moderate to severe anaemic patients with reduced ejection fraction had lower systolic (p=0.03) and diastolic (p=0.04) blood pressures. No other characteristics of HFrEF patients were associated with moderate to severe anaemia.
Conclusion/Recommandation:Anaemia is highly prevalent in acute HF patients. However, moderate to severe anaemia was not associated with characteristics of patients with HFrEF with the exception of lower blood pressures found in these patients. These findings therefore call for larger studies to be done in our context and also raise questioning on the prognostic implication of anaemia in heart failure.
Key Words:Heart failure, Anaemia, Reduced ejection fraction